https://youtu.be/aFyj_iAGYME
Video content summary: My Nighttime Routine for a Stronger Vegan Tomorrow
When the workday ends, it’s easy to let the night run you. One snack turns into five, the couch turns into your bed, and suddenly the next morning feels like a sprint you didn’t train for. This is the nighttime routine I follow to make evenings calmer and mornings easier, without having to rely on motivation.
I’m Giacomo, one of the coaches at VeganProteins, and this is what my nights usually look like once I’m done with my office work and ready to shift into “real life” mode.
Finishing my office day without drifting into chaos
After I wrap up work, I head downstairs and get myself situated for dinner. That small change of location matters. It’s a clean break between “desk brain” and the rest of the night.
A simple reset helps me avoid wandering into random habits. My usual transition looks like this:
- I come downstairs and get settled
- I get ready for dinner (cooking, or planning what’s next)
Tonight’s plan: eating out with Dani
Most nights, I cook something at home. Tonight is different. Dani and I are going out, because she’s filming a video on how to eat out. So no dinner prep for me this time, but the rest of my routine still holds.
My go-to post-dinner snack that doesn’t turn into a free-for-all
Once dinner is handled, I like to set myself up with a snack so I’m not mindlessly grazing later. Lately, I’ve been really into pretzels. They’re simple, they’re quick, and they don’t take any planning.
The big win here is that I don’t have to “negotiate” with myself. It’s a snack I can set up fast, eat, and move on without turning it into a whole event.
The weird pretzel trick that tells me to stop
Here’s a small thing I do that works better than it should. I eat most of my pretzels, then I leave a couple in the bowl and put it down. For some reason, that becomes my cue that snack time is over.
- Eat most of the snack
- Leave a couple pretzels behind
- Put it down and treat that as “done”
It helps me avoid snacking for an hour and drifting off plan.
Prepping breakfast so the morning starts on rails
Before the night is over, I like to set up food for the next day. Since I work from home, I don’t need to pack a bunch of containers or haul breakfast with me. I keep it basic and set up oats in a pan.
That way, I already know breakfast is going to be something solid, something I feel good about, and something that fits my day.
My simple pre-workout meal (and why it’s always visible)
I also prep my pre-workout meal. For me, it’s straightforward: some protein powder in a shaker, plus bananas.
What makes the difference is where I put it. I’ll leave it right by the door, or even in the car. I know myself. If I’m busy and a little stressed, I can procrastinate training, or grab something random because I didn’t plan ahead.
“I’ll easily procrastinate and not go train.”
So I build reminders into the environment. The food sitting there isn’t just nutrition, it’s a prompt that says, “This is happening.”
Setting the stage: vitamins, gym gear, and the stuff that keeps me honest
Along with the pre-workout meal, I pre-pack my vitamins and keep them with it, either by the door or in the car. If it’s all together, it’s harder to “forget.”
I also lay out my gym clothes the night before. Dani and I have different hours, and I don’t want to wake her up while I’m getting ready. There’s another reason too: as soon as I sit in my office chair, I can get locked in for hours. Having gym clothes ready is a visual reminder that training is part of the plan.
I’ll also stage the basics near the exit, so leaving takes less effort:
- Keys
- Wallet
- Training shoes (my “kicks”)
It’s not about being perfect. It’s about making the right choice the easy choice.
Hydration and greens: two small setups that pay off fast
At night, I fill up 3 cups of water and leave them at my desk. When you wake up, you’ve gone a long time without fluids, and that’s when you’re most dehydrated. So I want water ready to go the moment I sit down.
I also get my greens out and ready for the morning. It’s the same idea as everything else in this routine: fewer decisions, fewer excuses.
Hygiene is the signal that it’s time to power down
My nighttime hygiene routine matters, because it’s when my brain starts to get the message that we’re winding down. I keep it simple, but consistent: brush my teeth, take out my contacts, wash my face, and put a little cream on.
I also set up another 3 cups of water for before bed, so it’s ready and waiting.
How I broke the “fall asleep on the couch” cycle
For years, I had a bad habit of falling asleep on the couch. Dani will tell you, she’s had to remind me to get off the couch more than once.
The fix wasn’t willpower. It was small changes that crowded out the old habit. One of the easiest was putting my pajamas out ahead of time. If they’re ready, I’m more likely to change and actually go to bed.
No more phone scrolling in bed (and the hard rules that keep it that way)
I don’t surf on my phone in bed anymore. It keeps my brain switched on, and it makes bedtime feel optional.
To stop that, I started leaving my phone and watch out of the bedroom. Lately, I’ve been using an alarm to reset my sleep schedule, so I’ll put my phone by the bed, but I turn it over and make it a hard rule not to look at it.
My boundaries are simple:
- Don’t eat in bed
- Don’t look at your phone in bed
If I can’t shut my mind off, I run through a sleep meditation pattern I’ve trained myself to use. It’s my fallback for nights when I’m tired, but my thoughts won’t slow down.
Decompressing with Dani, without sacrificing sleep
Most nights, I’ll decompress with Dani. We might watch a movie, play a video game, play a board game, or just talk about the day. That time matters, but sleep matters too.
If we get that chill time, great. If not, I still keep bedtime consistent. Going to bed around the same time helps me get enough sleep and better sleep quality.
Coaching and programs to help you build routines that stick
If you want support building routines around training, nutrition, and daily habits, VeganProteins offers options based on how hands-on you want things to be, including the one-on-one coaching application.
You can also try the community side with a free trial to the Muscles by Brussels Membership, which includes coaching calls, workouts, recipes, and habit challenges. For a more structured reset, there’s also The 28 Day Overhaul program.
Conclusion
A good night routine isn’t about doing more, it’s about doing a few things on purpose. My goal is to set up food, training, hydration, and sleep so tomorrow starts with momentum. The biggest shift comes from hard boundaries and simple cues in your environment. If you try any part of this routine, start with the one that removes the most friction from your morning.
